Proof that humans really are becoming less intelligent

Writing in the journal Trends in Genetics, that’s the proposition of a Stanford University scientist, the appropriately-named Dr. Gerald Crabtree. In fact, Crabtree says, we humans have been steadily losing intelligence for thousands of years.

Crabtree’s thesis goes like this (the words in dark redare mine):

In the early period of the human species — the hunter-and-gatherer period that lasted at least a million years — homo sapiens lived and died by their ability to organize things spatially in their minds, tasks necessary when it came to constructing a shelter. We can thank our ancestors for that ability because nearly anyone can mow a lawn, though that deceptively simple task actually takes a lot of brainpower.

But then came CIVILIZATION, the advent of agriculture and cities. And with civilization [and the WELFARE STATE], humans became increasingly reliant on one another for survival, and concomitantly less reliant on our own skills and intelligence that natural selection long ago had favored. In other words, the advent of civilization also meant the sunset of the mechanism of natural selection, making it less necessary for humans to weed out harmful mutations [like stupidity].

“A hunter-gatherer who did not correctly conceive a solution to providing food or shelter probably died, along with his/her progeny, whereas a modern Wall Street executive that made a similar conceptual mistake would receive a substantial bonus and be a more attractive mate. Clearly, extreme selection is a thing of the past,” Crabtree and his colleagues write.

Over the course of 3,000 years or 120 generations, Crabtree has calculated that, on average, each person has two mutations that work against their intelligence, which is “eroding our intellectual and emotional capabilities” [translation: “making us dumber and dumber”].

And here’s the proof!

FOTM’s Joan received this email that’s circulating on the net — of handwritten answers to questions by schoolchildren. Their ages and country are unknown, as is whether the school(s) is public government or private. Some of their answers (my favorite is “crushed asians”) would be funny, if the implications weren’t so disturbing. (H/t FOTM’s Joan)

I have evidence that’s even more compelling than the samples above, that humans are getting dumber and dumber:

The Americans — all 62,306,898 of them — who last Tuesday reelected the mediocre 2.6 GPA Barry Soetoro Obama for a second term in the White House, because we all know what a smashing good job he did in his first term.

10 responses to “Proof that humans really are becoming less intelligent”

The Obamamama has done a smashing good job indeed, of reducing the nation to hardship. A second term guarantees he’ll have time enough to complete the chaos. At his Farewell Address it will be possible to say of him, as it was of Sir Christopher Wren, “LECTOR SI MONUMENTUM REQUIRIS CIRCUMSPICE”. As we survey the wreckage it will be perfectly true, reader, that we have only to look about ourselves.

My son once drew a picture of a fish and his teacher called it a “bas”, a science teacher in a later school year insisted that they use “pacific” details instead of specific, and a test he had to pass to graduate asked what is west of California, he wrote: water. He was correct. lol, Great story, still drying my eyes.

I completely agree with you Dr. Eowyn. When I read what students were writing, I just was aghast. I really couldn’t believe it. By the way, my favorite was about St. Joan of Arc, that “she was burned as a steak.” God help us!

I have one from my college years when I worked as research assistant to my English professor. She asked me to help tutor FRESHMEN IN COLLEGE on a paper they were to write on their upbringing. One young woman grew up in the very northern part of Maine known as “the county.” Her paper described harsh living conditions and even more harsh weather. I said to her: “That must have been INTENSE.” She replied: “No, we had HOUSES.” GOD HELP US!

i saw this story yesterday at yahoo news and attempted to send it to eowyn and steve by email but my attempt was thwarted and i am glad that you saw this story and printed along with obama’s 4th grade math, history and geography essays. pretty sad. i remember years ago going over applications filled out by new navy recruits and how some of the writing looked like it came from 1st graders and had answers like for second language ebonics….. dumb it down and race norming have contributed greatly in the increased dumbness (couldn’t spell stupidity) of the american populace.